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Painterly Prints

It may be hard to fathom today, but once upon a time prints were monochromatic. When the first generation of Western printmakers challenged themselves to create etchings, lithographs, and woodcuts in color, their efforts were at first viewed with disdain by many. Japanese woodcuts, which had been printed in color for hundreds of years by then, showed artists the way. This revolution was particularly hard-fought for intaglio: etching, aquatint, drypoint, and assorted copper-plate techniques. Etching was regarded mostly as a “graphic” art, from the ancient Greek, γράφειν: to write. The expectation was that the graphic artist was to render his vision in line or grayscale only. Color was for painting. Yet many printmakers forged ahead, threw caution to the wind, pushed the envelope. This selection is an ode to those works of art: painterly etchings.

Jean-Francois Raffaelli - Le Remouleur - detail - original color etching
$800

The Knive-Grinder

RAFFAELLI, Jean-Francois

Le Remouleur (original French title) Color etching, aquatint and drypoint printed on simili-japon paper.Ref: Delteil 76 II/III.One of 63 impression...

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Visiting
$750

Visiting

BOUTET DE MONVEL, Bernard

Les Visites (original French title) Color aquatint and etching on wove paper.Ref: Bibliothèque Nationale – Inventaire du Fonds Français 2-6.State p...

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Dusk
$1,400

Dusk

LANGASKENS, Maurice

Crépuscule (original French title) Color aquatint and etching on wove paper.Edition of 100, but scarce.  We have yet to encounter another impressi...

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